$2,500 Patti Grace Smith Aerospace Fellowship
- Organization: Patti Grace Smith Fellowship
- Type: Fellowship
- Location: United States
- Deadline: October 4, 2026
- Funding: Fully Funded
The Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, a volunteer-run US nonprofit, gives Black undergraduates their first paid job in aerospace. Fellows earn a competitively sourced summer internship of about 12 weeks at a US aerospace company or institution, paid a living wage, and receive a cash grant of $2,500 or more, two mentors, an annual Summit and a lifelong alumni community. The Class of 2027 application is open now and closes on October 4, 2026. **What you get:** - A paid summer internship of about 12 weeks at one of the nation's leading aerospace companies, startups or institutions, matched to your interests - A living wage throughout the internship - A cash grant of $2,500 or more, usable for tuition, school fees, laptops, software, textbooks or professional attire - Two mentors: an industry leader and a rising near-peer professional - An annual Summit with your classmates and current industry leaders - A tight-knit alumni community that continues after the internship **What you'll do:** - Submit a one-page resume, a transcript (unofficial accepted) and two letters of recommendation through the SurveyMonkey Apply portal - Write a 500 to 750 word essay on how the global aerospace industry can better serve underrepresented communities - Create a multimedia essay in any format (video, song, comic, animation, fiction) answering: what else do we need to know about you? - Answer one further prompt of your choice as a written or multimedia essay - If selected as a semi-finalist, interview with aerospace professionals, then be matched to host companies for their own selection process - Work about 12 weeks at your host company in summer 2027 and attend the annual Summit **Key dates:** - Applications opened August 18, 2026 - Applications close October 4, 2026 (website: 11:59:59 pm Eastern; portal: 3:00 am EDT, see notes) - Letters of recommendation due October 4, 2026, with a 48-hour grace period per the portal - Applicants are typically notified of selection in December - Internship runs about 12 weeks in summer 2027 **More information:** - Around 30 to 35 Fellows are accepted each year from hundreds of applicants - Every application is read in full by two human reviewers; about 125 applicants are interviewed and about 75 go forward to host companies - Host companies run their own selection process and no spots are held; candidates must meet every threshold other interns meet - Free alumni-written how-to guides and an applicant Discord are linked from the apply page - Sibling programme of the Brooke Owens Fellowship; the FAQ lists other aerospace fellowships for those not eligible
